Overcoming Schizophrenia

Overcoming Schizophrenia Guest Blogger: Author, Charles Porter — His work opens up conversations around: Living meaningfully with voices How identity exists beyond diagnosis What people often misunderstand about these experiences There’s a moment that comes early for a lot of people who hear voices. It’s not always dramatic. No thunderclap, no clear dividing line. It’s quieter than that. It’s the moment you realize you’re going to have to live a life with this. Not cure it. Not outrun it. Not wait for it to disappear one day like a bad season. Just live with it. And from there, everything changes. The way people talk about hearing voices tends to flatten the experience. It gets reduced to a label, then a prognosis, then a set of expectations about what a life will look like. Most of those expectations are narrow. Many are wrong. Because what often gets missed is that people who hear voices don’t stop being people. They build lives. They work. They fall in love. They develop routines, p...

The following article was written by a long-time contributor, Adam C. He offers unique perspectives along with references for better insight... Thank you, Adam for your ongoing encouragement and articles to enlighten and further my mission that is to offer hope and reinforce the fact that recovery is possible! Anxiety isn’t always a sudden panic attack. It can feel like fog — a vague unease you can’t shake, the tension that makes your jaw ache, the racing mind that won’t shut up. No matter how it shows up, anxiety demands tools, not just tolerance. And mental resilience isn’t some abstract trait — it’s built through small, specific practices. The goal isn’t perfect calm but steadiness that holds under pressure. These seven grounded strategies are designed for that: helping you reset your system, manage internal noise, and build real strength for when life goes sideways. Start with breath you can control You can’t always reason your way out of anxiety, but you can breathe differently. ...

Image via Freepik This article was written by guest blogger, Adam C. He's previously contributed articles on our blog, Overcoming Schizophrenia. Adam continues to deliver great written material with links to resources. Thank you, Adam, for sharing your insight and ongoing support. When the Mind Feeds the Mouth: How Mental Health Shapes Food Choices and What to Do about It You don't always reach for the bag of chips because you're hungry. Sometimes, it's stress. Other times it's habit masquerading as hunger. Mental health and food are linked in quiet, often invisible ways - patterns carved by emotion, reinforced by repetition, and easy to miss until your body starts asking questions you can't answer with another snack. But the fix isn't shame or stricter willpower. It's awareness. It's rhythm. And it starts by recognizing what your eating habits are responding to - and why they keep coming back. How Mental Health Shapes Food Choices When the nervous s...

The following article was written by a guest blogger, Adam C. Adam contributes material for our blog which gives insightful perspectives on living with schizophrenia... Thank you, Adam for another great read. Starting over isn’t just possible—it can be transformative, especially after weathering a tough chapter in life. For those living with schizophrenia, the idea of moving to a new city might seem overwhelming, but it also presents a rare opportunity to reset, find healing, and rediscover purpose. If you've reached a point where change feels necessary, relocating might not only shift your geography but help reroute your path forward. Finding a Home That Feels Safe and Stable Housing isn’t just about four walls—it’s about creating a sanctuary. Whether you're applying for a rental or working through assisted housing programs, the most important thing is that your new place supports your daily routine and gives you peace of mind. Using Your Move as a Launchpad for Career...

By Michelle D Sherman, PhD LP ABPP and DeAnne Sherman Individuals managing mental illness are often accompanied on the journey of recovery by loved  ones—parents, partners, siblings, friends, and children (of all ages). Sometimes the road is hopeful—perhaps a positive period of stability and growth, a new medication or therapy, or a new job. Other times, the road feels scary, confusing, sad, and overwhelming—perhaps a hospitalization, crisis, or discontinuing treatment services. Research has documented numerous mental health challenges among these family members, such as increased rates of depression, substance misuse, loneliness, and overall stress. As families often struggle with the challenges of navigating the healthcare system - supporting their loved ones through the ups and downs, encountering stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness, and managing their own well-being - it’s no wonder that the experience can be difficult and exhausting. One of the very best...

Image via  Freepik This post was written by Adam C. on living with schizophrenia. Adam continues to contribute great articles that provide effective approaches to managing recovery. I encourage you to read and share your thoughts.  Additional articles written by Adam on the Overcoming Schizophrenia Blog include the following and more: 8 Mental Health Tips for Living With Schizophrenia Get Through These Major Life Changes While Living With Schizophrenia Improving Your Self-Esteem for a More Well-Rounded Life For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life Stepping Stones: A Journey Through Change with Schizophrenia Navigating life with schizophrenia presents unique challenges, yet it also offers exceptional opportunities for personal transformation. Embracing significant life changes can foster resilience, opening doors to new paths and possibilities. This journey isn't just about managing symptoms; it's about leveraging change to enhance personal growth and well-being. T...

This is a guest post from a fellow blogger who is also in recovery with schizoaffective disorder. I believe Victoria's story will provide reassurance and hope that recovery is possible. The following is Victoria's self-care routine, how she manages, and a link to her blog... Thank you, Victoria for sharing your recovery with us on the Overcoming Schizophrenia blog. There are many ways to recover from Schizophrenia I have found out this last year away from pharmacological treatment. Antipsychotic meds helped to stabilize me but fell short and the side effects have been terrible. Now that I am taking kratom as an antipsychotic I have been relieved of delusions. The only problem with kratom though is that I have to keep taking it to remain sane and still take antipsychotic medicine but at a lower dose. Some of the additional benefits are that I am more social, able to travel and have energy and motivation to do a lot. However recently I came across a cure for Schizoaffective Disor...

Jennifer L. Myers is author of the blog, Never Give Up: Buddhism, Family, & Schizophrenia . Jennifer earned her masters in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University and her undergraduate from UC Santa Cruz. She has experience working with the U.S. Peace corps in the Dominic Republic, environmental non-profits, and teaching. Currently, she is working on her memoir, Never Give Up: Buddhism, Family, & Schizophrenia. The following is her experience... Buddhism, My Mental Health & Happiness by Jennifer L. Myers When I was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2002 I had already been practicing Buddhism with the SGI (Soka Gakkai International) for 14 years. Still, I didn't have a very strong practice at the time. I attended local discussion meetings regularly, but I didn't spend much time chanting on a daily basis. It wasn't until the symptoms of schizophrenia - the voices whispering in my head, the screaming and yelling I heard outside my apartm...

Thank you, Jennifer for having me as a guest author on your blog. I appreciate you for letting me share my story on how I started Embracing My Mind. Click here to read my story. Click on the title to learn more about Jennifer's blog, Never Give Up: Buddhism, Family & Schizophrenia.  Thank you. Ashley Smith

The following blog entry was written by a guest blogger: My name is Christina Bruni and I want to thank Ashley for allowing me to be a guest blogger at Overcoming Schizophrenia. I'm the Living Life columnist for SZ magazine and the community leader and expert blogger at HealthCentral's schizophrenia community Web site. Life is not easy-it is not always, and sometimes it is not often-golden for those of us with SZ or another MI. The respect and compassion seemingly so freely given from one so-called normal to another is not routinely given to the neediest of us in society, who do our bravest and our best to manage our schizophrenia, to manage whatever life chose to give us. I propose-as I have in my own blog, Left of the Dial-that we fight hate with love, we send those ignorant and fearful people a healing vibe, and wish them well. More than this, I submit we cannot afford to treat each other, as peers, with less than respect, dignity, compassion and AWE. Awe for...